Whew! All of those reviews! I tried to get this up ASAP, but I am also in the works of (maybe) having my own book published! I've been working on this for over a year and a half, and I am still nowhere near done, but the process is GRUELING!

ANYWAY,

Here is Part 3! There will be more dialogue in this chapter than what we saw in the past two!

"Detective Tutuola, do you wanna get him or do you want me to?" Ayanna asked the heavy-hearted detective. She could see the pain in his eyes, hearing that news and watching Elliot fall apart before their eyes. They'd both known the brash detective was a steel wall, a reckoning force, but to watch him break down over Olivia was hard to say the least.

"How about I go?" She heard a man's voice behind her. Both Ayanna and Fin turned around to find an old man behind them, the lights of the hospital reflecting off of his head.

"Sir I'm not sure-"

"Captain Cragen, I take it you either heard it through the grapevine or someone called you personally," Fin spoke to the man as they shook hands. Ayanna excused herself and found another seat in the waiting room. She phoned the rest of her squad to let them know everything and make arrangements for the time being.

"Well, Amanda called. I never hear from her, but this time, she sounded so panicked and defeated, and I was just in the neighborhood. Figured it would do me some good to check up on everyone, but it looks like everyone is nose deep with this," Cragen said as he waved his arm around the room.

"Yeah, she's supposed to be with Liv's son right now. Lord knows the kid's gonna need it," Fin said as he hung his head.

"Look, I heard that Elliot shot the guy. Emptied his gun into the perp. Olivia may not get to have her day in court, but we know that the son of a bitch that did this is dead. He can't hurt anyone else," Cragen said as he patted the seasoned Sergeant on the shoulders. Fin slid his hand down his face before facing the direction that Elliot ran off to. He needs someone now more than ever.

"Captain, I don't know how to handle that. I need to make some more phone calls and handle McGrath. For now, I assume I'm gonna be acting CO unless they bring in someone else for the job."

"You handle that, and I'll handle Elliot. Everything is gonna be okay, Fin." Cragen knew that his former detective's heart was broken in two. Hell, so was his. But he knew that Elliot was going to be the worst. He knew that Olivia was it for Elliot after Kathy. Hell, Kathy probably knew too. He made his way down to the chapel and opened the doors. He saw the sobs shaking Elliot uncontrollably and sighed to himself. He watched as Elliot tried to wipe away the tears as fast as they were falling, but it was no use.

"Damn it! Why her? Why us? We haven't even had our chance yet and now, you're ripping it away from us? What more do we need to suffer!" Elliot shouted. Cragen slowly made his way to the front where Elliot sat. He slowly put his arms around Elliot, trying to give him the comfort he so desperately was seeking.

"Elliot, sitting in here shouting at God isn't going to do any good. I know that you want answers, and I do too, but you did everything you could've done. You did good. You had her back the whole time, and you did what you had to do in order to get her out of there," Cragen tried to soothe him, but Elliot just shook his head.

"Don, she's dead. She is gone because of me. If I had just pulled her down with me or even took the bullet myself, she'd be here. We didn't even have a chance to begin this healing process. We were getting somewhere, and then this? It's not fair. She shouldn't have ended here. She had so much left to do, a son to raise, and I failed to protect her. Just like I did from Bx9," Elliot whispered to him. He saw Cragen out of the corner of his eye dig around his shirt pocket.

"What are you doing?"

"Showing you this," Cragen said as he pulled out a photo of Marge, his late wife. "She was the reason I kept pushing to do better, to be better. After she died, we both know what happened. Then, I fought to be better. Stayed sober after that. Elliot, these things are hard, yes, but you can't give up hope now."

Elliot couldn't believe his ears. His former captain was trying to make this better for him, as if he hadn't just lost the love of his life. Elliot stood up abruptly.

"Don, Olivia is gone! There is no hope," Elliot felt himself crumbling again. "Damn it! The one time we were almost ready to take that step, and she is shot in a damn diner. She was dying right in front of me. It was like watching Kathy die all over again. Only this time," Elliot took a deep breath and turned to his Captain, looking him in the eyes, "I don't think I'm going to survive losing Olivia. This pain, I remember it from Kathy, but Don, this hurts me. So much. I love Olivia. I loved her so much. I woulda done anything in the world for her." His voice strained to a whisper as he tried to keep the tears at bay again. He saw his former captain giving him a strange look.

"Elliot, why don't you tell Olivia?" Cragen whispered. Elliot gave him an are you serious look before speaking again.

"Don, she died back there! Didn't you hear the nurse when she told us "we did everything we could."? I was right there! I was beside her until she went back there, and that's gonna be the last time I ever see her. I don't think I can go back there and look at her body. I worked with her for 13 years, left for 10, and I only got to see her for 3 more before she took that bullet. That should be me back there!"

Cragen sighed. He'd never seen Elliot this emotional over Olivia. Not even after Gitano when he'd had to tell Elliot that Olivia moved on from SVU.

"Elliot, yes I heard her. Did you listen to anything else, or did your bullheaded self tune out after the first word?" Cragen stood up and walked to Elliot.

"Son, yes they did everything the could, and she is alive. Yes, she's critical, but the doctor is hopeful that she will recover."

Elliot's tear-filled eyes found Don's, and when they did, he embraced his former captain and sobbed against his shoulder. Cragen held Elliot close, knowing that he was crying tears of relief and stress. He allowed Elliot to cry for just a few more moments before pulling him away from his shoulder.

"Go to her, Elliot. She needs you. She needed you then, but she needs you now."

Elliot raced out of the chapel, quickly found his way back to the emergency waiting room and saw that Olivia's squad, McGrath, other brothers in blue, and his kids were all sitting or standing. He found Fin off to the side talking with Ayanna. He made his way there through all of the officers.

"Fin! When can I see her?" Fin could tell that his friend had been crying and doing God knows what else, but he loved Olivia, and he knew that Olivia loved him and had asked for him first.

"The doctor said as soon as you got back from chapel, Liv wanted you back there. Elliot was gone just as fast as he appeared, and Fin watched as the man made his way through the doors and to her.

"They really love each other, huh?" Ayanna asked the Sergeant. Fin only nodded his head with a smile and saw Cragen coming around the corner and wiping his eyes.

"Hey Cap, remember that bet from about 14 years ago? Time to cash in!"

Olivia woke from her sleep when she heard the nurse talking her.

"Ms. Benson, you've given a lot of people quite the scare. There are a lot of people out there waiting to see you." The brunette nurse smiled as Olivia opened her eyes. She looked around to find out what had happened before she remembered. She grazed her hand across her side where she'd been shot. She felt the tubes of the nasal cannula brushing against her cheek bones and tickling the underside of her nose.

"Elliot," her voice was hoarse from her throat being dry. The nurse nodded and shuffled out of the room. Her pain medication hadn't worn off yet, and she hoped that she would be given a non-opiates treatment instead of-

"Captain Benson, I'm Dr. Stone. How're you feeling?" The man gave her a small smile as he shuffled around to her side, where she'd been shot. He lifted the cover to inspect the area around her wound, not yet uncovering what they'd just spent hours trying to fix.

"Not sure," she answered. "Water?" She truly needed something for how dry her throat was. The doctor nodded and quickly pulled a cup from the cabinet and filled it with water. She took it from him with a nod and took a sip.

"Captain, I would like to discuss this with you, but I would also like to inform someone else. You have an emergency contact on here, an Odafin Tutuola? Is he still your contact, or would you like someone else to hear this information?" He could tell she was thinking about someone else when he'd read the name.

"Doctor, I want Fin and Elliot," she gave him a look and he nodded once before walking out, and he noticed a nurse talking to a bald man trying to walk his way.

"... I need to see her. Where is she? Olivia Benson?" The doctor's ears perked at the mention of his patient's name. He walked towards the commotion to discuss with the man.

"Sir, I'm Captain Benson's doctor, Dr. Stone. Are you Fin or Elliot?"

"Elliot."

The doctor spoke the room number, and Elliot tore away from the conversation and went to her. To Liv. She was alive, and he couldn't truly describe the emotions rising in his body. He nearly choked out a sob seeing her as he shuffled into the room. He made it to her bedside and held her hands in his. Her brown eyes met his blues, and it was a silent conversation between them before he spoke.

"You could've changed at least. My blood isn't a fashion statement."

He laughed at her attempt to lighten the mood, but he had to say what he was feeling. They were here, ready for a moment together, and he was not going to waste it.

"I thought I had lost you, Liv. I was scared. So scared. I-"

"I was scared too."

"Olivia, I lost Kathy in a horrible way. I watched her die, but Liv, seeing you, watching as you slipped away and knowing that I couldn't do anything about it, it was killing me. I couldn't survive losing you. I thought I had."

"El-" He saw her try to speak before he cut her off.

"No, I need to say this. Olivia, I love you. And this is not me in a crazy place saying this, it isn't me drugged out in your apartment. This is me, realizing that I have loved you for a long time and being scared to do something about it until I thought I couldn't have it any longer. I thought I had lost my chance with you today. I need to say it, Liv, and I know you aren't ready, but I love you and I love your son. And I will wait until you are ready, but I won't wait to say how I feel any longer," his eyes were teary, and he looked like he'd aged ten years. His eyes reflected his pain, and she could feel the tears forming in hers.

"El," she released his hands and cradled his head in hers. She pulled him closer to her. Her voice dropped to a whisper. Her tears started falling too. "Elliot, I've never been more scared in my life than I was when that bullet hit me. I thought he was going to kill you too. I couldn't stand that thought. I went without you for ten years, and I don't want to live out the rest of my days without you by my side. I wasn't ready before because that was a bad time for me. Elliot, I love you. And I'm not saying I'm completely ready, but I am ready for that chance we deserve," she pulled his face to hers and grazed her lips across his. She pulled back, and he leaned in for one more. They rested their heads against each other, staring into each other's eyes.

"Liv," he whispered. She could feel his breath against her lips. "I will do anything to make sure you're safe. And when you're ready for more, I'm here." She smiled a true smile that erased any bad memory and feelings she'd had of him in the past.

Yes, he'd left her for ten years. He hadn't been there for her during William Lewis. He hadn't been there for Noah and Shelia. He had missed her rising through the ranks, but he was here now. No matter what brought him back to her, she was thankful. He was hers. Fully.

"So, is this your right moment?" She asked him as she kissed him again. She felt him smile against her lips.

"Maybe, but I plan on having more moments, if you'll let me," he said as he kissed her again.

"The first time I get shot..."

"... And the last time I ever run from us. From you."

They held each other close, embracing each other, thankful that their chance had come and they'd taken it. Maybe they weren't fully ready, but life gave them a second chance at doing it right, and they weren't wasting it.

From the door of her hospital room, Odafin Tutuola looked towards the ceiling, wishing he could see his face.

"Your old bony ass would owe me big time right now."

FINNIS.

UGH. I couldn't wait to post this, so here it is. It may seem fast paced, but I didn't want to drag it out any further. I condensed it from two more chapters to one, and I gave a nod to Munch.

This is incredibly dramatized, but I would love to see them finally talk about their feelings, and what better way to do that than for something drastic to happen and make them fear a lost chance? I hope it will be the push they need to finally discuss how they feel.

I'm sure they'll have her in a Kevlar vest and she won't actually be shot, but it's Dick Wolf. They could surprise us. I hope you enjoyed this, and I so apologize for the terrible cliffhanger! Catch me tomorrow night sobbing my eyes out.